the riverman-第59部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
distressing symptoms that begin the disease。 As a neighbourly deed
she remained with the girl。 Of course no one could tell it was
smallpox at that time。 Next day； however； the characteristic rash
appeared on the thighs and armpits； and I diagnosed the case。〃 Dr。
McMullen laughed a little bitterly。 〃Lord； you ought to have seen
them run！ Servants； neighbours； friendsthey all skedaddled； and
you coudn't have driven them back with a steam…roller！ I
telegraphed to Redding for a nurse。 Until she came Mrs。 Orde stayed
by； like a brick。 Don't know what I should have done without her。
There was nobody to do anything at all。 As soon as the nurse came
Mrs。 Orde gave up her post。 I tell you；〃 cried Doctor McMullen with
as near an approach to enthusiasm as he ever permitted himself；
〃there's a sensible woman！ None of your story…book twaddle about
nursing through the illness； and all that。 When her usefulness was
ended； she knew enough to step aside gracefully。 There was not much
danger as far as she was concerned。 I had vaccinated her myself；
you know； last year。 But she MIGHT take the contagion and she
wanted to spare the youngster。 Quite right。 So I offered her
quarters with us for a couple of weeks。〃
〃How long ago was this？〃 asked Orde； who had listened with a warm
glow of pride to the doctor's succinct statement。
〃Seven days。〃
〃How is Mina getting on？〃
〃She'll get well。 It was a mild case。 Fever never serious after
the eruption appeared。 I suppose I'll have old Heinzman on my
hands； though。〃
〃Why； has he taken it？〃
〃No； but he will。 Emotional old German fool。 Rushed right in when
he heard his daughter was sick。 Couldn't keep him out。 And he's
been with her or near her ever since。〃
〃Then you think he's in for it？〃
〃Sure to he；〃 replied Dr。 McMullen。 〃Unless a man has been
vaccinated； continuous exposure means infection in the great
majority of cases。〃
〃Hard luck；〃 said Orde thoughtfully。 〃I'm going to step up to your
house and see Mrs。 Orde。〃
〃You can telephone her；〃 said the doctor。 〃And you can see her if
you want to。 Only in that case I should advise your remaining away
from Bobby until we see how things turn out。〃
〃I see；〃 said Orde。 〃Well；〃 he concluded with a sigh； after a
moment's thought； 〃I suppose I'd better stay by the ship。〃
He called up Dr。 McMullen's house on the telephone。
〃Oh； it's good to hear your voice again；〃 cried Carroll； 〃even if I
can't see you！ You must promise me right after lunch to walk up
past the house so I can see you。 I'll wave at you from the window。〃
〃You're a dear； brave girl； and I'm proud of you；〃 said Orde。
〃Nonsense！ There was no danger at all。 I'd been vaccinated
recently。 And somebody had to take care of poor Mina until we could
get help。 How's Bobby？〃
XLIV
After lunch Orde went downtown to his office where for some time he
sat idly looking over the mail。 About three o'clock Newmark came
in。
〃Hullo； Joe；〃 said Orde with a slight constraint； 〃sorry to hear
you've been under the weather。 You don't look very sick now。〃
〃I'm better；〃 replied Newmark； briefly； 〃this is my first
appearance。〃
〃Too bad you got sick just at that time；〃 said Orde； 〃we needed
you。〃
〃So I hear。 You may rest assured I'd have been there if possible。〃
〃Sure thing；〃 said Orde； heartily； his slight resentment
dissipating； as always； in the presence of another's personality。
〃Well； we had a lively time； you bet； all right； and got through
about by the skin of our teeth。〃 He arose and walked over to
Newmark's desk； on the edge of which he perched。 〃It's cost us
considerable； and it's going to cost us a lot more； I'll have to get
an extension on those notes。〃
〃What's that？〃 asked Newmark； quickly。
Orde picked up a paper knife and turned it slowly between his
fingers。
〃I don't believe I'll be able to meet those notes。 So many things
have happened〃
〃But；〃 broke in Newmark； 〃the firm certainly cannot do so。 I've
been relying on your assurance ell； keep your hair on；〃 said Orde； on whom
Newmark's manner was
beginning to have its effect； as Newmark intended it should。 〃You
have my Boom Company stock as security。〃
〃Pretty security for the loss of a tract like the Upper Peninsula
timber！〃
〃Well； it's the security you asked for； and suggested；〃 said Orde。
〃I thought you'd surely be able to pay it；〃 retorted Newmark； now
secure in the position he desired to take； that of putting Orde
entirely in the wrong。
〃Well； I expected to pay it； and I'll pay it yet；〃 rejoined Orde。
〃I don't think Heinzman will stand in his own light rather than
renew the notes。〃
He seized his hat and departed。 Once in the street； however； his
irritation passed。 As was the habit of the man； he began more
clearly to see Newmark's side； and so more emphatically to blame
himself。 After all； when he got right down to the essentials； he
could not but acknowledge that Newmark's anger was justified。 For
his own private ends he had jeopardised the firm's property。 More
of a business man might have reflected that Newmark； as financial
head； should have protected the firm against all contingencies；
should have seen to it that it met Heinzman's notes； instead of
tying up its resources in unnecessary ways。 Orde's own delinquency
bulked too large in his eyes to admit his perception of this。 By
the time he had reached Heinzman's office； the last of his
irritation had vanished。 Only he realised clearly now that it would
hardly do to ask Newmark for a renewal of the personal note on which
depended his retention of his Boom Company stock unless he could
renew the Heinzman note also。 This is probably what Newmark
intended。
〃Mr。 Heinzman？〃 he askedage deed on certain
lands described herein。〃
〃That's it；〃 said Orde。
Lambert looked up over his spectacles。
〃I want to renew the note for another year；〃 Orde explained。
〃Can't do it；〃 replied L briefly of the first clerk。
〃Mr。 Heinzman is at home ill；〃 replied the bookkeeper。
〃Already？〃 said Orde。 He drummed on the black walnut rail
thoughtfully。 The notes came due in ten days。 〃How bad is he？
The clerk looked up curiously。 〃Can't say。 Probably won't be back
for a long time。 It's smallpox； you know。〃
〃True；〃 said Orde。 〃Well； who's in charge？〃
〃Mr。 Lambert。 You'll find him in the private office。〃
Orde passed through the grill into the inner room。
〃Hullo； Lambert；〃 he addressed the individual seated at Heinzman's
desk。 〃So you're the boss； eh？〃
Lambert turned； showing a perfectly round face； ornamented by a dot
of a nose； two dots of eyes set rather close together； and a pursed
up mouth。 His skin was very brown and shiny； and was so filled by
the flesh beneath as to take the appearance of having been inflated。
〃Yes； I'm the boss；〃 said he non…committally。
Orde dropped into a chair。
〃Heinzman holds some notes due against our people in ten days；〃 said
he。 〃I came in to see about their renewal。 Can you attend to it？〃
〃Yes； I can attend to it；〃 replied Lambert。 He struck a bgambert； removing and
folding the glasses。
〃Why not？〃
〃Mr。 Heinzman gave me especial instructions in regard to this matter
just before his daughter was taken sick。 He told me if you came
when he was not herehe intended to go to Chicago yesterdayto
tell you he would not renew。〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Orde blankly。
〃I don't know that。〃
〃But I'll give him twelve per cent for another year。〃
〃He said not to renew； even if you offered higher interest。〃
〃Do you happen to know whether he intends anything in regard to this
mortgage？〃
〃He instructed me to begin suit in foreclosure immediately。〃
〃I don't understand this；〃 said Orde。
Lambert shook his head blandly。 Orde thought for a moment。
〃Where's your telephone？〃 he demanded abruptly。
He tried in vain to get Heinzman at his house。 Finally the
telephone girl informed him that although messages had come from the
stricken household； she had been unable to get an answer to any of
her numerous calls； and suspected the bell had been removed。
Finally Orde left the office at a loss how to proceed next。
Lambert； secretly overjoyed at this opportunity of exercising an
unaccustomed andow
you'd better get home where you can be taken care of。 You're sick。〃
〃No； no； my friend；〃 said Heinzman； vigourously shaking his ' autocratic power；
refused to see beyond his
instructions。 Heinzman's attitude puzzled Orde。 A foreclosure
could gain Heinzman no advantage of immediate cash。 Orde was forced
to the conclusion that the German saw here a good opportunity to
acquire cheap a valuable property。 In that case a personal appeal
would avail little。
Orde tramped out to the end of the pier and back； mulling over the
tangled problem。 He was pressed on all sidesby the fatigue after
his tremendous exertions of the past two weeks； by his natural
uneasiness in regard to Carroll； and finally by this new
complication which threatened the very basis of his prosperity。
Nevertheless the natural optimism of the man finally won its
ascendency。
〃There's the year of redemption on that mortgage；〃 he reminded
himself。 〃We may be able to do something in that time。 I don't
know just what；〃 he added whimsically； with a laugh at himself。 He
became grave。 〃Poor Joe；〃 he said； 〃this is pretty tough on him。
I'll have to make it up to him somehow。 I can let him in on that
California deal； when the titles are straightened out。〃
XLV
Orde did not return to the office； he felt unwilling to face Newmark
until he had a little more tho
